NSERC Undergraduate Research Awards given to eight students at BU

June 25, 2010

BRANDON, MB – Eight Brandon University students have received NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA). These awards are valued at $4,500 per student, with further supplements from the university and faculty members’ personal research grants.

“The USRA award program affords excellent undergraduate students a rather unique opportunity to acquire advanced research skills. For Brandon University students this often includes the chance to work in research laboratories at a level often reserved for graduate students at other larger universities,” says Dr. Scott Grills, BU Vice President (Academic & Research).

The students work on a research project in a field supported by NSERC over 16 consecutive weeks during the summer under the direct supervision of a faculty member who holds an NSERC Research Grant.

This year’s award winners, projects and faculty supervisors are as follows:

The program matches each student with a supervisor doing original research in a one-on-one relationship that greatly expands the students understanding and appreciation of the designated field of research. Because of such an opportunity, USRA students at Brandon University have become renowned scientific researchers.

NSERC, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, is one of the primary Canadian federal agencies investing in people, discovery, and innovation. The Council supports both basic research through research grants and project research through partnerships of universities with industry. NSERC also supports the advanced training of highly qualified people in both areas.